D&D 5E Between Shadow And Flame:Main Page

Introduction

As night falls farmers bar their doors, and town watchmen huddle close around their lanterns. For an ill wind stirs in the great valley, the dead do not lay quiet in their graves, strange creatures are said to lurk in the forests, and at night flame can be seen atop the snow-capped mountains.

This is the wiki page for D&D 5e Shadow & Flame, a Play-by-Post in planning, that will be run on the rpg.net PbP forum. I'm Waiwode, the GM. We're at barebones right now, but more will be added as things get rolling.

The Peoples of the Valley

Common Folk

Dwarf-kind

The second most numerous folk in the valley. New Rhuth is a Dwarven city, but they can be found everywhere, except in Tar Ellindor. They hold a seat on the Elven Council, but the custom of centuries leaves it unfilled as long as the Elves treat New Rhuth as an independent state.

Elf-kind

The rule of the Elven Queen made this place a safe haven for her kind, until Ixu Maugh's Rage. Few in number now, many remain in the vicinity of Tar Ellindor, or the young forests of Newhome, although they can be found in every major settlement.

Halfling-kind

Halflings are the least numerous of the common folk in the valley. They tend to form little communities near Humans, but not too close. Still, the more curious of their kind travel all across the valley.

Human-kind

They were wild tribes when Elves first ruled here, endless years ago. They are the most numerous of the folk in the valley, most settlements are human, their cities and petty nobles owe a fealty best not tested to the Elven Council.

Uncommon Folk

Dragonborn

Rare indeed are the Dragonborn. Wanderers, mercenaries, and renegades, their kin have no settlements in the valley. Several can be found among the mercenaries at Yul Ethyr and Yul Osru.

Gnome-kind

There are small communities of Gnomes in the foothills west of the Winterhorn Range and the eastern reaches of the Green Heart, and extended craft-families have moved to all the major settlements, but gnomes are not a common sight in the valley.

Half Breeds

Half-Elves are uncommon, but not unusual. Half-Orcs are rare. Tieflings are almost unheard of. All are available as PCs.

Player Characters

Finan Underbough

Lightfoot Halfling Warlock

Pervinca Diggle

Stout Halfling Bard

Quentin Davos

Human Monk

Thia Galanodel

Half Elf Sorcerer

Ysora Wolf-Friend

Wood Elf Druid

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The elves of the Dreadwood have only ever paid nominal homage to the Elven Queen, preferring to live relatively free and unfettered in the wilderness. An long standing tradition of the tribes, one that is rarely spoken of but wildly acknowledged, is that some families will part with a young child, giving them to the druids that watch over the wood. The children are raised away from their tribe, knowing only other druids and the animals of the forests as their new friends and family.

Ysora was a new apprentice, working with her master as a new initiate into the druidic order. Her master strove to teach her that nature does not take sides; it simply does as it's meant to do. Ysora could not forget her old family and clansmen of her old elf tribe, and longed for a wider circle of friends and family outside of the few druids she met and the local wolf pack that roamed where she was training. She did her best to maintain harmony with the forest, while also trying to secretly help the other elves with offerings of game and food in the lean months.

When one of the local wolf-pack fell victim to some sort of curse or unknown disease, Ysora was forced to put it down. Her master decreed that as the final step of her initiation, she needed to leave the forest - both to see if she could locate the source of the taint infecting her lands, but also to see the rest of the world, and understand just how important it is to keep the sanctity of the Dreadwood intact.

Name: Ysora Wolf-Friend Race: Wood Elf Class: Druid Alignment: Neutral Good

Str 10 (0) Dex 13 +2 = 15 (+2) Con 14 (+2) Int 11 (+0) Wis 15 +1 = 16 (+3) Char 9 (-1)

Background: Outlander (Nomad) Feature: Excellent Memory for Maps/Geography Trait: I watch over my friends as if they were newborn pups Ideal: Greater Good. It is each person’s responsibility to make the most happiness for the whole tribe Bond: An injury to the unspoiled wilderness of my home is an injury to me Flaw: I remember every insult I've received and nurse a silent resentment toward anyone who’s ever wronged me.

HP: 10 AC: 15 Saves: Int, Wis

Proficiencies: Weapons: Longsword, Shortsword, Longbow, Shortbow, Clubs, Daggers, Darts, Javelins, Maces, Quarterstaffs, Scimitars, Sickles, Slings, Spears Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields Skills: Perception, Survival, Athletics, Animal Handling, Stealth

Fleet of foot: Base walking speed = 35 Mark of the Wild: Can attempt to hide even with only lightly obscured Languages: Gelini, Druidic, Elvish, Imperial

Equipment: Club Wooden Shield Leather Armor Explorer’s Pack Druid Focus (scrimshaw amulet with a carving of a stag) Staff Hunting trap Trophy (Wolf pelt cloak) Traveler’s Clothes Belt pouch 80 GP

Spells: Cantrips: Druidcraft, Shillelagh Prepared spells: Cure Wounds, Faerie Fire, Speak With Animals, Longstrider

Trinket: A white, sequined glove sized for a human

Important Places

Campaign Map

Campaign Map #1

Natural

Dragonbone Lake Deep and still, fed by ice-cold mountain streams from the Great Barrier Mountains. Although ruins dot the shore it is currently untouched wilderness.

Dreadwood, The Brave woodsmen say that strange creatures lurk and multiply in its depths. Forest Goblins have always been a threat here, and trolls are not unheard of.

Great Barrier Mountains A snow-capped chain of mountains that joins the Skyrakers further to the east. Neither the terrain, nor the occupants, are friendly.

Green Heart, The Once the centre of a vast woods that covered this land, the spirit of the Green heart does not welcome strangers, but shelters its denizens.

Guardians, The A small range of mountains near the coast, the dwarves of the Winterhorn Range had several outposts and mines here before the Fall of Rhuth. Now they are abandoned to time, and to enemies who lurk deep under stone. Dead Orc Pass crosses the range, but is seldom used these days.

Lake Tiral The fish of Lake Tiral are notably hostile, the wise do not swim in its waters.

Lake Vleris Traders from the Northern Tribes cross Lake Vleris, bringing amber, pitch, furs, and food to the valley's markets.

Newhome There is not a tree here one day older than the Dragon Rage. In fact much of the land took almost a century to recover.

Northern Marches Once settled land, it has gone fallow, and is home to wolves, both four and two-legged.

Southern Marches Once settled land, it has gone fallow, and is home to wolves, both four and two-legged.

Winterhorn Range A small chain of mountains around the Great Winterhorn, a mountain sacred to the Dwarves

Settlements

Blackpool Regarded as a harbour for smugglers and pirates, with good reason, Blackpool is a sprawling collection of hovels perched by a tricky, shoal-filled, swampy harbour. Blackpool maintains a shaky alliance with local Lizardmen tribes, has a higher proportion of Halflings than any other settlement, who fish and hunt in the swamps in small leather coracles.

Gelinat The mighty Sasserine River is navigable up to the first cataract, where Gelinat began as a trading post. Over the centuries it has turned into a bustling crossroads city, the commercial centre of the region.

Holy Tiral One thousand years ago trappers "accidentally" digging in a barrow discovered two golden tablets covered in a scrawling script. They were immediately struck blind. Today the two tablets are served by a small host of blind scribes and priests, and their many sighted servants.

New Rhuth Rhuth the Great was destroyed by Ixu Maugh's flame. New Rhuth now crowds the lower slopes of Winterhorn, the Sacred Mountain of the Dwarves. New Rhuth is a surface city, although year by year new galleries are crafted beneath it.

Sasserine Unlike the other settlements in the region, Sasserine is an Imperial City, governed by a Council of Nobles, owing fealty to distant Nessantico. Although there is much cause for friction between the region and the Empire, considerable trade profits have a way of smoothing rough waters.

Tal Ellindor The Hidden City, wrapped in cloaking enchantments by the Elven Queen, has seen no non-Elven visitor in centuries. Devastated by dragon-flame, the Elves have slowly rebuilt the cracked stone and scorched gardens. Those who have visited it

Vleris A steep-roofed trade town critical to the trade with the Northern tribes, Vleris was once known for its University. The halls and amphitheatres are choked with ivy and sparrow nests now, but behind them, down dark hallways, lies a Chantry of Arcane Lore, the region's last school of magic.

Yul Ethyr viewed as a safe posting, a good career stepping stone for Imperial Officers. With a mixed Cohort, including riverine units, the fortress guards trade between Sasserine and Gelinat.

Yul Osru viewed by Imperial Officers as a punishment posting, this most distant fortress has a fragment of an Imperial Cohort, and a handful of mercenaries, posed to guard against the many perils of the Dreadwood.

A Brief History

No Elf still-living, less the Queen,witnessed the imprisonment of the God of Death, Morgath. His tomb has been lost for one thousand years.

Only the eldest Elves alive witnessed the Autumn Crusade, where the armies of the Elven Queen hunted down the priest-kings of Morgath, threw down their towers, and scattered their hosts.

No Dwarf still living witnessed the Dragon Rage, where Ixu Maugh, daughter of Tiamat, and her brood spread flame and destruction across this land. No Dwarf who lived within survived the sundering of Rhuth the Great, mightiest of the Dwarven Holds. No Dwarf still living remembers the Elven Queen wrapping layer after layer of enchantment around Tal Ellindor, hiding it from the Dragons and the rest of the world, and slipping into a deep, unending slumber.

Every Elf alive knows that the Elven Queen still sleeps, they share her dreams each night. They count their calendar in Years of the Queen's Slumber, as do we all.

No Human alive today witnessed the rise of Warlord Kulgur Voz, not fought in the great battles, nor witnessed the death of Fair King Leric, although many Elves and Dwarves alive today did.

Notes

House Rules

Elves

High Elf NPCs suffer Dragonfear. They are at a Disadvantage on their Save versus a Dragon's Frightful Presence.

High Elves share the Queen's Dreams. Once per week they may meditate for eight hours, instead of four while pondering a matter of Lore. In the morning they may take an Advantage on any one Lore roll.